Chapter 42

The crowd had started to point and shout before the announcer noticed that something was awry. Xivthar followed their gestures with his eyes, taking in the formation of three defense ships and another vessel that was rapidly approaching.

The Earthling ship! His stomach clenched. What was Sylvie's ship doing headed toward the arena?

The hatch opened on the little ship and a figure dove into the waters below. The drop had been dangerous, but there was a chance the jumper might survive.

Might survive, but probably not. Even if the fall hadn't killed him, the gnarsharks that swam in the waters below would.

Executions on Zanthar were performed courtesy of a pool of gnarsharks. These fearsome predators had evolved along with Zantharians, so they'd developed an immunity to high-charge shocks. Therefore the natural Zantharian weapon had no effect on the nasty creatures.

The little Earthling ship was hit with a huge blast that caused it to start wobbling in the sky. Without warning, another figure plummeted from the ship, this one not in a graceful dive, but with limbs flailing. Xivthar thought he heard an agonized shriek, and his heart froze in his chest.

Sylvie?

The second figure hit the water, a little closer than the other one. Xivthar waited, his breath trapped in his chest. After agonizing seconds that felt like hours, a head surfaced. A golden head.

“Sylvie!” he shouted, running headlong toward the water.

“Are you insane?” the Hareema mimic yelled at his back. “You'll be eaten alive!”

Xivthar ignored the creature, and ignored the fact that his hands were bound behind his back. All he could concentrate on was the fact that his beloved might be a gnarshark's next meal. He dove into the water without hesitation.

The pool of cool liquid was deep, the water getting darker the farther it was from sunlight. Xivthar swam hard, kicking his legs to try and move himself upward, but without the use of his hands he wasn't making much headway. Something bumped his leg and he stilled. No.

Glancing up, he realized what had rubbed up against him. The sharks.

They were everywhere, swimming closer and becoming more aggressive in their nudges. Gnarsharks had several rows of sharp, needle-like teeth. Xivthar knew that once he was bitten the first time, a feeding frenzy would begin, meaning he'd be ripped to pieces in mere moments.

He started kicking out at the sharks, trying desperately to move forward. While his kicks were managing to stave off a bite, they weren't getting him any closer to the spot where he'd seen Sylvie surface. He was running out of time, and the frustration was driving him to kick more and more viciously.

He felt a tug on the binding at his back and he turned around, slamming his head into the creature behind him. He'd thought it was a gnarshark, but he realized when his head slammed into a hard skull that it was another Zantharian.

The major, the one who'd disapproved of his spending time with the Earthling female, was trying to undo his restraints.

He must have been the first one to jump from the Earth ship.

Xivthar held still until his restraints were removed. Then he swam like hell for Sylvie.

Before he could reach her, he saw the waters were turning red. Human blood is red, he remembered, and his guts clenched in fear.

He swam through reddening waters until he saw a huge swarm of sharks in front of him. Sylvie's in there. The major swam to his side and gave him a nod. They knew what they had to do.

Xivthar began by grabbing the first gnarshark he could and stabbed his fingers into its gills. The shark flailed, but he worked his hand into the gills on the other side and the shark sped off erratically. He headed for the next one, stabbing at the gills, going for the eyes when he couldn't get to the gills.

He managed to avoid any deep bites, although he was starting to get a collection of tooth scratches when he hadn't been quick enough to keep his limbs entirely out of harm's way. Beside him, the major was doing much the same, fighting his way through the beasts.

Temporarily blinding another shark, Xivthar finally made it close enough to see his mate. The waters were hazy with her blood, but she hadn't given up. As he watched, she punched a shark directly in the nose.

Xivthar took the opportunity to get close enough to grab her. Her eyes widened at the sight of him, but he could tell that she was weakening. His mate needed air.

Signaling to the major to keep fighting, Xivthar struggled to get Sylvie to the surface as quickly as he could. He knew that once there, they would be far from safe, but at least she could breathe.

They surfaced, and Sylvie pulled in great gasps of air.

“You're alive,” she sputtered.

“So are you,” he said with a smile. Having her back in his arms felt like coming home.

She gave him a beautiful, angelic smile, her lip quivering as she tried to say something else. Her eyes fluttered and she passed out in his arms before she could utter another word.

Xivthar felt a shark bump against his leg and knew it was only a matter of time before one would bite into him. He couldn't carry her unconscious body and fight them off.

“Noruma, forgive me for this,” he said, then charged up, hitting Sylvie with the smallest charge he could.

“Ouch!” she said, her voice weak but her eyes opening.

“Baby, hold on to my neck and don't let go. I'll try to stay close to the surface, but if we're going to get out of this, then we have to fight.”

She slid around to his back and wrapped her legs around his waist. X tucked his head under the water so he could see more clearly.

Soon he was losing blood from dozens of places, his arms and legs so tired he didn't know how much longer he could go on. Do it for her. He pushed himself, his protective instinct forcing him to continue moving forward.

The major swam up beside him as they made it to the shore, the sharks moving in with vicious intent. How neither of them fell prey to the massive beasts was beyond him.

Hands grabbed him, and suddenly he was being yanked from the water. Dozens of Zantharians had climbed down to the water's edge and were pulling him and Sylvie from the water and bringing them onto shore. The major was pulled out right beside them, and none too soon. The older man had a giant gash in his calf that seemed to have caused great amounts of blood loss.

Xivthar pulled Sylvie in his arms. She was paler than ever, her eyes closed, her mouth in a thin white line.

“Sylvie? You're going to be all right, baby.” He laid her down on the shore and looked her over just to solidify his hopes.

There was a large bite in her leg that was seeping blood. That’s why she looks like death is at her door.

“Medic!” he screamed. “I want a medic down here immediately!”

Although medics weren't usually employed for executions, he knew there had to be someone with medical training in the crowd. A few people started descending from the arena stands and fighting their way forward. Two dropped down beside the major, another three hurrying to his side.

“Help her,” he said. “Whatever it takes. She must not die!”

The arena was silent, the crowd unsure of how to react. In the long history of executions, no one had ever made it out of the gnarshark pool.

Loads of people stood around, none of them showing anger or malcontent at the moment. It would have been a relief if Sylvie hadn’t looked so bad. A squad of guards ran toward them, some brandishing short swords, and a few with blasters.

The major stood with the assistance of his medics, despite their advice not to. He yelled to the leader of the squadron, calling him up short.

“The Supreme Regent is innocent of the charges against him,” he told the lieutenant leading the squad.

“I have orders from the Supreme Regent to take this man into custody,” the lieutenant replied.

“The Acting Supreme Regent is a Hareema plant!” Xivthar bellowed. “I want him taken into custody immediately!”

The squadron floundered, unsure of whose orders to follow. The major pointed to the dais, then back to Sylvie. “That creature is a Hareema agent. This is the real Earthling. You know Hareema don't imitate the inner workings of creatures, just the outer. That means no blood, and you can clearly see her bleeding.”

“You're right,” the lieutenant said. He pulled up his mini-console and spoke to his superior. “They've taken the acting regent into custody.” He turned to Xivthar and bowed his head. “I'm sorry for doubting you, Sire.”

“It's understandable,” Xivthar replied. “Now bring my brother down here right away.”

Poolside at my own execution might not be the best place to unmask an enemy infiltrator, but I won't leave her side. Besides, all of our people need to see this, so that they can become aware of what we're facing.

Before long, his brother, Drake, was dragged down to him and pushed to his knees at Xivthar's feet.

“You Zantharians are more clever than I gave you credit for,” he said, eyeing the major. “But it matters not. We've already got a foothold on your planet. And the nasty little Earthling’s too.”

Xivthar scowled. “Where is my brother?”

“What gave me away?” the Hareema mimicking Drake said. “I thought I had you convinced.”

“You did, for a long time. You made a good choice in imitating my brother. He is the one person I trust implicitly, so I didn't question your behavior for the longest time. Except for one thing. Your color.”

The Hareema grimaced. “Your damn color-changing skin. Your brother was maroon when I shifted into him the first time after his capture. We Hareema can't change skin colors like you, not without revealing our true form as we change. So I was stuck maroon until I shifted again. I knew I had to be convincing for the council, so I made sure I was green this time around.”

That explained why who he'd thought was his brother had been so ready to show his fear to his underlings. Because he had no choice.

Xivthar turned to the lieutenant, giving instructions for the dais to be returned to the shore. He waited for it to come, bringing with it the other Hareema, the one with Sylvie's shape.

Before the dais reached the shore, the Hareema changed shape. It grew wings, became smaller, a sea bird that easily escaped its restraints. Although a few guards fired blasters at it, it was able to fly away without being harmed.

"Send someone to track it," Xivthar barked at the lieutenant, who hurried to obey orders. He watched them go and then turned his attention to the creature before him.

“I'm going to reveal you to all the people seated here, so that I can show them exactly what you are. Then I'm taking you into custody. We're going to find out how deep this conspiracy goes.”

Xivthar charged up, energy waves flowing over his skin. He put a hand on the operative's shoulder, sending the shock through it. The image of his brother began to melt, then it revealed its true form, a rectangle of red jelly.

Screams rent the air, the crowd going crazy in their shock.

“Men, I want you to imprison this creature immediately. Round the clock guards. No one is to ever be alone with him. And--”

There was a blast from the crowd. Xivthar cried out as he watched the rectangle burst into flames and then immediately disperse into brown slimy chunks.

“Where did that blast come from?” The regent was furious. “I want the perpetrators found!”

The major scanned the crowd from beside him. “It could have been someone who feared the Hareema and wanted to neutralize the enemy.”

“Or it could be another agent, making sure this one couldn't talk.”

It would seem that the threat of invasion was far from over.